Free files for youth pastors:

6 – 1 Sam 18-31 – Saul Demise (mp3)

6 – 1 Sam 18-31 – Saul Demise (fillout sheet)

6 – 1 Sam 18-31 – Saul Demise (outline)

6 – 1 Sam 18-31 – Saul Demise (Scripture)

6 – 1 Sam 18-31 – Saul Demise (order of service)

When a professional sports team wins the championship, their city welcomes them home with a ginormous victory celebration.  What cracks me up is when the city’s citizens decide to trash their city after the big win.  That has never made sense to me!  Such as, when the Lakers won the championship this year, there were people looting stores and shops, boneheads demolishing cars by jumping on the hoods, and some whack-jobs trying to take on the police.  Without the violence and barbarian-like behavior, Saul and David are also welcomed home from war with a celebration.  

It was customary during those days to celebrate your king’s victory in war by welcoming him home with a party-parade.  The not-so-humble Saul hears the lyrics of Israel’s victory chant, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands” (1 Sam 18:7).  From this point on, Saul gets insanely jealous of David, and his jealousy rules his life until his death.  David had taken Saul’s kingship since God chose David and anointed him with His Spirit.  David had taken Saul’s war victory when he defeated Goliath.  David had taken Saul’s son when they became best friends (1 Sam 18).  David had taken Saul’s daughter when she became his wife (1 Sam 18).  David had taken Saul’s people when they came out singing about him.  Now, Saul says David has taken everything but his kingdom (1 Sam 18:8).  You can almost hear Saul screaming, “NO!”

Jealousy is a mega-theme in Scripture.  There are actually two different styles of jealousy.  One is when you get protective over something of yours that is not being faithful to you.  This is the righteous jealousy in the Bible ascribed to God.  The second kind of jealousy is when you resent someone for having something you think you deserve.  This is the sinful jealousy of Saul towards David.  Jealousy is a prideful and hateful sin driven by Satan that always leads to deeper sin if not repented of. 

An evil spirit entered Saul which drove him to jealousy.  Satan is the King of Jealousy!  Ever since the garden, Satan has been jealous of Jesus.  He was jealous of Jesus’ glory from His creation, so he conspired a tempting take-over, which worked!  Satan also filled Pharaoh to kill all Israelite babies to get rid of Moses, filled Herod to exterminate all Israelite babies to get rid of Jesus, and now He’s filling Saul to get rid of David (Jesus’ great, etc grandfather).  Listen to the death-road Satan drug Saul down…

Saul was resented, and he hated David so much from his jealousy that he tried to kill David many times.  In two of those times, David had a clear shot at Saul and could have killed him (1 Sam 24, 26), but David didn’t because he feared God most.  When we live for Christ, people will hate us out of jealousy because of our loving family, close friends, pure lives, joyful happiness, etc.  But we must show them mercy, grace, and love even if they resent us in a hurtful and threatening way.  Saul’s jealousy didn’t just drive him to attempted murder, but it also drove him to a deeper and more evil sin – witchcraft.  Saul went to the Witch of Endor who got freaked out herself when the spirit of Samuel really rose!  She was probably expecting to fake it or bring up a demon.  People who result to witchcraft are rapidly moving down a very evil and dangerous road.  Beware!

Lastly, Saul’s jealousy of David led him to his death.  When Saul was surrounded by Philistines without the help David, the real anointed-King, he ended up taking his own life because he felt helpless, hopeless, all-alone, and had no way out.  I hear this is how many suicidal people feel.  Suicide is the second biggest killer of teenagers today.  The root of all suicide is pride.  “I don’t deserve this.  I don’t want to feel this way.”

When we struggle with jealousy driven by Satan, we are ultimately jealous of Jesus.  Instead, we must be willing to step back to see all we have belongs to Him!